fogle
Preserved but no longer current.
A silk handkerchief,—not a clout, which is of cotton. It has been hinted that this may have come from the German Vogel, a bird, from the bird’s-eye spots on some handkerchiefs, but a more probable derivation is the Italian slang (Fourbesque), FOGLIA, a pocket, or purse; or from the French Argot, FOUILLE, also a pocket.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “fogle” mean?
A silk handkerchief,—not a clout, which is of cotton. It has been hinted that this may have come from the German Vogel, a bird, from the bird’s-eye spots on some handkerchiefs, but a more probable derivation is the Italian slang (Fourbesque), FOGLIA, a pocket, or purse; or from the French Argot, FOUILLE, also a pocket.
Is “fogle” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.